In the course of being transported through a plant, a bottle is held in the neck area by grippers, clips, clamps and comparable elements. The clamps are positioned on transport star wheels. Some clamps have an inherent opening and closing behavior for instance due to an intrinsic flexibility or due to being spring-loaded. Other clamps are actively opened and closed.
To transfer bottles from one transport star wheel to another transport star wheel, it is known to configure the transport star wheels with their clamp paths partially overlapping and to push the bottles from one clamp into the other. This construction is relatively complicated and difficult to clean.
It has become increasingly to handle PET bottles without a securing groove in order to save weight. As a result, the neck ring must perform the task of a securing groove.